


I Have A Daughter Golden

by lovesrainscent



Category: Naruto
Genre: Family, Gen, Motherhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-18
Updated: 2013-05-18
Packaged: 2017-12-12 06:22:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/808316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovesrainscent/pseuds/lovesrainscent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A bedtime story for my favorite sand sibling. Despite how dysfunctional their family clearly was, surely they must have had at least some tender moments together. Don't you think?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Have A Daughter Golden

I have a daughter, golden, beautiful as a flower. 

She sits with me at evening time, our special time together. Her father is still attending to affairs of state. Her brother sleeps in his crib. This hour is ours alone. She looks at me, face beaming like the sun at noonday.

'Oh, mother, may I?' she whispers in a sweet lilt of childhood.

I smile and nod, she presses her hand against my belly. A giggle. Another. Then a laugh of pure delight.

'Mother, mother, I felt him! I felt my baby brother.'

She leans her head against me, honey-colored curls splay out around her face.

She whispers promises to the child inside of me. Some I understand, some are in the soft babble-language that only the very young can interpret. The baby leaps at the sound of her voice. It is the third time I carry a child, but still the wonder of it amazes me. I place my own hand on my stomach, feeling his kicks both within and without.

She asks most sincerely if she can read the bedtime story. 'Of course,' I tell her. I stifle a laugh as she holds the scroll upside down but recites the story from memory.

She finishes her story, then yawns and leans back against me. Her eyes are heavy lidded. She squirms, trying to get comfortable.

'Mother,' she says petulantly, 'Mother, you don't have any lap left!'

It's my turn to laugh now. 'Oh, Temari, love, it's because the baby is so big and strong. We should be glad.' I circle my arms around her, holding her close. 'And besides,' I add, 'My arms can always hold you.' I gently smooth back her hair away from her face. She's drifting off to sleep now.

'Mother,' she struggles to keep her eyes open, but now there's a crease of worry across her face. 'Mama, when the baby gets her, will you still love me just like you do now?'

'Why, Temari, of course.' Her eyes are closing once again. I hum her favorite lullaby.

'You won't…you won't be tired of me and Kankuro will you?' Her little lips are trembling. 'Are you gonna love the baby more? Are me and Kankuro not gonna be your children any more?'

'Oh, my love, you'll always be my daughter. I love you and Kankuro more than life itself. But you, little one, you're my daughter. You should never fear such things.'

She has one last whisper for the night.

"Mama, I wish we could be like this forever.'

I kiss her once more. Her head is heavy now against my arm, warm and sweet, she nestles against me. I think to myself, 'And so do I, Temari. So do I.'

_I have a daughter, golden,_

_Beautiful as a flower_

_Kleis, my love –_

_And I would not exchange her_

_For all the riches in Lydia…_

A/N: The poem is by Sappho, translation by Mary Barnard.


End file.
